This invention relates to apparatus for cooling beverages and in particular beverages such as beer which are delivered through conduits or lines from remote storage areas when supplied in the hospitality industry.
Although the invention may relate to cooling of all manner of xe2x80x9con linexe2x80x9d delivered beverages the discussion herein will, for convenience, be in terms of the delivery of beer.
In the hospitality industry beer is customarily stored in barrels and delivered along lines of tubing to its outlet point, presumably at a bar.
Clearly there must be some provision for cooling the beer at some stage of its delivery in order that it be served at a temperature considered desirable to the customer.
Many systems have existed in the past for cooling individual lines of beer however, in recent times where many different types of beer may need to be provided on tap simultaneously, a requirement has arisen that such cooling should take place close to the outlet point to avoid duplication of cooling systems.
Cooling systems do exist whereby cooling plates are manufactured which contain lines of a coolant which act as heat exchangers with lines carrying beer. It is relatively difficult to control the precise temperature at which the beer is delivered however especially when demand can vary greatly at different times during a day.
Another problem associated with such cooling plates is that the size of the plate system required is dependent on the number of types of beer required to be on tap and once a system is developed for a specific number of beer outlets the cooling system is inflexibly arranged and the number of outlets cannot be varied.
From a marketing point of view there is a further problem with existing beer supply systems in that the flavour of different beers are best at their own optimum temperatures and it may therefore be desirable for different beers to be dispensed at different temperatures. The public however tends to perceive that it is desirable for beer to be well chilled, perhaps close to freezing, at which temperature much of the flavour is lost. It is therefore desirable that beer should appear to be dispensed at these temperatures by providing a frosted delivery font while maintaining rather than varying the temperature of the beer.
It is an object of this invention to provide a beer cooling system which delivers beer to an outlet at the desired temperature but which can be adapted to accommodate more or less beer lines.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a means whereby beer can be dispensed at its optimum temperature while appearing well chilled.
The invention is a fluid delivery cooling system which includes at least one cooling plate containing at least one fluid delivery line, said cooling plate being contacted on either side thereof by a gasket containing coolant channels.
It is preferred that the cooling system be provided with end plates which are interconnected through successive gaskets and cooling plates such that multiple cooling plates and gaskets can be assembled by the connection of the end plates at the extremities of any assembly. It is preferred that this connection be effected by bolts.
The invention also includes an outlet means to a dispensing point which outlet means is chilled by the coolant such that condensation or ice can form on it but the beer dispensed passes through an insulating tube internal to the outlet means and is maintained at its optimum temperature.
It is preferred that a cooling plate should have more than one fluid delivery line cast into the cooling plate which plate is preferably of some material having good thermal conductivity such as aluminium.
It is also preferred that each cooling plate be provided with either a coolant entry or exit tube or both, which tube accesses a bore in the cooling plate and permits coolant to pass through the fluid delivery cooling system through one gasket to another.
It is also preferred that a temperature sensing device be located in the cooling plate, preferably close to a fluid delivery line, and a solenoid valve controlled by the temperature sensing device be located between the coolant inlet and outlet tubes of plates which are to be maintained at the same temperature such that coolant flow ceases if the sensed temperature is lower than a preset value.
It is further preferred that the gaskets be located on the cooling plates by the provision of pins, preferably of stainless steel on the sides of the cooling plates.